We Still Can’t Get Pregnant
Infertility, unfortunately, continues to affect women and men each year. Fertility clinics and doctors help millions of men and women each year who are unable to conceive. Infertility is defined as the inability to get and stay pregnant after 1 year of trying. For women over 35, this timeframe is reduced to 6 months. Fortunately, there are several options available to help treat infertility.
Is surgery the only option?
There could be several physical and hormonal factors that affect fertility. Once a doctor uncovers a physical issue, particularly in women, the doctor may bring up surgery. Using procedures like laparoscopy or hysteroscopy, doctors can treat a range of issues. These include ovarian cysts, polyps, endometriosis, and tubal adhesions. But what if the patient wants to avoid surgery altogether? The good news is that there are several options.
Treating infertility with medication
In many infertility cases, fertility medication is the first treatment step. For a healthy reproductive system, the body produces adequate amounts of the hormone FSH and LH. This determines reproductive health and estrogen, testosterone, or progesterone levels. If these hormones are not in sync, a doctor will try different forms of fertility medication.
vTypes of fertility medication
One popular fertility medication encourages the body to produce more FSH. This helps women produce more mature eggs. The same drug can also help men produce more testosterone. Doctors will also try gonadotropins, an injectable form of medication that mimics FSH. In special cases, some men and women produce abnormally high levels of prolactin. Prolactin can stop ovulation or testosterone production altogether. In these instances, doctors will prescribe medication to restrict prolactin production. Fertility medication has high success rates. Studies show a 27% average improvement in pregnancy after a few cycles of medication.
Is it just bad timing?
About 1 in 3 cases of infertility can be narrowed down to irregular ovulation. By knowing exactly when ovulation happens, couples have a higher chance of conceiving. Women can use simple over-the-counter kits. In some cases, a doctor may track ovulation via ultrasound for more accurate results. This increases the chances of a natural pregnancy.
Have you heard of IUI?
In cases of male factor infertility or obstructions in the uterus, a doctor may suggest intrauterine insemination (IUI). With IUI, the doctor places the sperm directly inside the uterus to help with fertilization. The doctor or fertility lab will wash a sperm sample to separate the sperm from the seminal fluid. From there, a doctor will insert the prepared sample using a catheter. IUI has about a 20% success rate. In some cases, IUI is coupled with fertility medication to increase the chances of pregnancy.
Don’t forget your lifestyle
Lifestyle changes are an effective, non-surgical treatment option and should not be discounted. Poor diet, stress, excess alcohol consumption, and smoking all harm fertility. These activities can affect hormone production or cause diseases like diabetes, which can cause infertility. Make a full assessment of habits and lifestyle, then work on reducing or eliminating behaviors affecting fertility.
Getting external help
Sometimes, one or both of the couple’s reproductive health is beyond repair. The best option is to call in some help. This could be in the form of donor eggs, donor sperm, or a surrogate carrier. The doctor will speak with all persons involved before making a surrogacy decision.
Get non-surgical treatment today
Doctors will help the patient explore all options to give the best chances of success. These non-surgical options have high success rates. Based on the reproductive health of the man, woman, or both, the doctor will suggest one or more treatment options. Infertility does not need to be a life sentence. Get the right help to skyrocket fertility today.
